What Would Be Under The Christmas Tree In The 1930s – Gifts From A Bygone Era

Last Updated: April 2026

Discover what 1930s Christmas gifts looked like — from Monopoly and Meccano to dolls and wireless radios. A wonderful glimpse at Christmas past!

Christmas morning in the 1930s was every bit as magical and exciting as it is today, and the gifts waiting under the tree were genuinely wonderful.

Children would charge downstairs with hearts racing hoping that Father Christmas had been generous and the 1930s Christmas gifts they unwrapped that morning were often simpler than today but no less thrilling for it.

From the brand new game of Monopoly to beautifully crafted tin toy soldiers and the very first Meccano sets.

The thirties produced some genuinely iconic Christmas gifts that many of us still recognise and love today.

1930s Christmas Gifts For Children

Children in 1930s Britain woke on Christmas morning to a wonderful selection of toys that would still delight children today.

Boys typically found toy soldiers, tin toy cars, construction sets and if they were lucky a brand new bicycle waiting for them.

Girls meanwhile could expect a beautiful dolly, a toy pram and a tea set.

The real star of the decade however was Waddington’s brilliant new board game Monopoly, first released in 1935 it became an instant Christmas sensation and remains so to this very day!

1930s Christmas Gifts For Adults

Christmas gifts for grown ups in the 1930s were wonderfully straightforward and tell us so much about the social life of the era. Dad might find a bottle of whisky tucked in his stocking while Mum would be absolutely delighted to receive a bottle of iconic perfume.

For the more affluent family a wireless radio was the ultimate luxury, though at a cost of more than a week’s wages for most working class men it was far beyond many family’s budgets.

gleaming new Kenwood Chef was the dream gift for her – a genuinely revolutionary piece of kitchen technology that still graces our kitchens today.

How Much Did 1930s Christmas Gifts Cost?

Families sacrificed to give their children a magical Christmas despite the hardships of the Great Depression.

A wireless radio – the must have adult gift of the decade, could cost between £8 and £17 in 1930s money which was the equivalent of one to two weeks wages for a working class family.

A child’s bicycle cost roughly the same. Even a simple doll or toy car would have represented a significant proportion of a family’s weekly budget.

Get Inspired By 1930s Christmas Gifts Today

The most wonderful thing about 1930s Christmas gifts is that many of them are still available and still brilliant today, proving that the best toys truly are timeless:

1. Monopoly — first released in 1935 and still one of the most popular Christmas gifts in the UK today. Some things never change! 🔗 Shop Classic Monopoly Set
2. Meccano — the iconic construction set that delighted 1930s children is still available and still brilliant for curious young minds 🔗 Shop Meccano Sets
3. Tin toy collections — beautifully crafted vintage style tin toys make the most gorgeous nostalgic Christmas gifts for adults and collectors 🔗Shop Vintage Tin Toy Collection
4. Classic board game sets — treat the family to a collection of timeless board games this Christmas, just as families did in the thirties 🔗 Shop Classic Board Games Collection

👉 Want to know more about Christmas in the 1930s? Head to our 1930s Christmas Decorations guide for more wonderful nostalgic content!